Connecter strip and frost shield using the same



C. F. WALZ March 15, 1938.

CONNECTER STRIP AND FROST SHIELD USING THE SAME 2 Sheets-Sheet l FiledMay 25. 1936 t INVENTOR I CARI. F WA 4 J/ kgxg m arch 15, 1938.. WALZ2,111,343

CONNECTER STRIP AND FROST SHIELD USING THE SAME Filed May 23. 195.6 2Sheets-Slieet 2 1 R F 4 mm 4 H C mwgg mg m r 1 r 3 vH M I G INVEN'TQIY WZ ATTORNEYE? Patented-Mar.1 1938 v p r w UNITED STATES PATENT OFFiCECQNNEOTER STRIP AND FROST SHIELD USING TI-lE SAME Carl F. Walz,Minneapolis, Minn.

Application May 23, 1936, Serial No. 81,480' 9 Claims. (01. 20-405) Thisinvention relates to a device for obtainshield having a clear visionshield attached thereing and maintaining continued adhesive and sealtoby the use of the material of Figure 1;.

ingjuncture between two relatively still? trans Figure 3 is across-section on line '3-3 of parent plates. The device is particularlyadapted Figure 2 showing the action of my material in 5 for connectingclear vision shields, of the dead-' preventing stripping of theadhesive; 5 air-space type, to .automobile Windshields.- Figure 4 is anenlarged detail cross-section The main difficulty incident to the use ofclear illustrating the normal condition of the strip vision shields ofthe dead-air-space type is that after adhesive connection; concerned insecuring the shield to maintain the Figure 5 shows the compensatoryaction of the 1 seal, that is to prevent entry of any air whatsostripallowing substantial movement of'the shield ever into thedead-air-space, which entry, of in direction perpendicular to thesurface to which course, lessens or destroys the efficiency. of the itis attached, and without breaking the seal; device as a clear visionmaintainer. Figure 6 is an end view of a. modified form of The betterand more efficient kind of shield is strip;

that of the ready-to-use type in which the glass Figure 7 is an end'view of another modified 15 has already attached thereto a functionallyconform of strip,- illustrating both the strip and its tinuousstrip ofrubber or equivalentmaterial, to method of formation; I which tackyadhesive is already applied or to Figure 8 is a sectional perspectiveview, supplewhich a suitable adhesive can be applied. The -mentaltoFigure 3, and illustrating the applicashield is then applied by simplypressing the adtion of the device to a warped windshield; 20 hesivelycoated strip against the windshield or. Figure 9 is-an end view showinga modification. equivalent transparent surface. Pressure is apof thestrip; plied progressively and marginally against the Fi re 1 is a.Sectivnal Vi w Showing One f outer face of the shield. thestrips of thepresent invention applied to a It frequently happens (due to unevennessof frame which marginally circumscribes and seal- 25 either glass) thatpressure applied to one part ingly embraces the glass of thefrost-shield; will cause the glass to be put under strain so that Figure11 is another modification in which the the partly set adhesive of apreviously pressed improved S r p is ap td a frame w h i and adherentportion of the strip ispulled away, sealingly clampingly mounted on thefrost-shield;

to such an extent as to admit air. By use of the Figure 12 is anothermodification in 'which the 30 present invention, this strain is avoided,as well strip'is app to a frame w c e braces t e as the breaking of theseal. Moreover, these defrost-shield; and vices are frequently attachedby unskilled or care- Figure 13 is a view showing a one-piece frame lesspersons who do not apply 'suflicient pressure, and strip.

or do not apply the pressure over a 'sufllcient Referring first toFigure 1: The numeral I 35 length of time to obtain good adhesivejuncture generally indicates a St p made of Suitable at one portion,before they apply pressures to the pressible elastic material, such assponge rubber. succeeding portions. The present invention pre- Whensponge rubber is used, it is best totreat vents accidents, due to'any ofthe above causes, ch. f tw pp s fa s t p v a none 40 by providing astrip construction which can yield adhesive-absorbent skin layer, notherein shown. 40

' sufficiently to relieve pulling strain on the partly Two oppositefaces, whether previously treated set adhesive, and thus preventair-leak -producing or not, are preferably covered withtackyadhestripping of the adhesive. sive, not shown. The tacky adhesive iscovered Features of the invention include all details of with Hollandcloth or other equivalent material construction, along with the broaderideas of indicated at 4 and when it is desired to app y the 45 meansinherent in the disclosure. strip, the Holland cloth is removed and oneof Objects, features and advantages of the inthe adhesively coatedsurfaces is pressed against vention will be set forth in the descriptionof the plate 5 which-is to be attached to the windshield drawingsforming a part of this application, and or other surface, indicated at6. v

in said drawings v The strip material can be sold as a ready-to- 50Figure 1 is a view of a piece of strip material use article-with theadhesive already applied, or constructed in accordance with thisinvention, the adhesive can be applied by the user. and showing theadhesive protecting material Although the specific construction of thedevice pulled back at one end; herein is claimed per se, there is nointention to Figure 2 is a front view of a portion 01. a windentirelylimit the invention thereto because I 55 .it is desirable to preventdetachment or stripplug of an adhesively secured strip, or in whichstripping is to be avoided before the adhesive is thoroughly set. I notonly claim the material, but also claim the shield as a ready-to usearticle, equipped with my new material.

Ordinarily, these shields 5 are composed of a piece of glass whicheither has a dimension of about 8 x 18 inches and weighs about 1 pound 2I ounces; or a piece of glass about 8 x 36 inches,

which weights about 2 pounds 5 ounces. Since these shields are attachedto Windshields whichare practically vertical or, are slanted slightlyfrom the vertical, and since ordinarily they are attached by means of atacky adhesive, the

weight of the shield has a tendency to pull the adhesive loose before ithas time to set. Moreover, using this adhesive there is frequently atendency to pull the adhesive loose, at one point or another, because inapplying the glass, the same has been bent and, therefore, put undertension or strain., .1

In the present embodiment, the strip I is of four-sided configurationproviding two opposite faces III of greatest area which are adapted tobe adheslvely attached, and having other faces I I of substantially lessarea. Inwardly from each of faces H, the material is slitted as at H,the slits extending, in this instance, substantially more than half waythrough the material. In this instance also, the slits are parallel withone another and with the adhesively-attachable faces l0. when the shieldis attached with the strip and when outward expansion takes place, thecross-sectional configuration is somewhat N- shaped.

In the shield, as sold, narrow strips are arranged marginally of theglass and are attached by one face III to the shield 5 with suitableadhesive, not shown. The opposite face I is also provided withsuitable,preferably tacky adhesive, andthis adhesive is covered with Hollandcloth. After strippingofl' the cloth, the shield is applied by pressure.

The strips must be so applied as .to form a functionally continuousring. Heretofore, proper sealing has not been unfailingly obtainableunder conditions where the surface to which the shield is attached hasbeen uneven, or not strictly flat, as, for example, when operating withwindshields constructed of shatter-proof glass. Heretofore; because'ofthis unevennesajwhen adhesive-attaching pressure was applied at anypoint along the shield, a portion of the strip at some other pointpulled away, due to tension or strain under which the bent glasswas'put, or due .to rocking motion of the glass, and in so pulling away,the partially set adhesive gave way and a leak resulted.

Sometimes this pulling away may be over only a very small area of thestrip, but it is sufllcient to break the seal and render the devicesubstantially useless for its intended purpose. The present deviceallows a compensating outward motion of the spacing and connectingelement, and corresponding motion of the attached plate or seal, allwithout any breaking of the seal tween the strip and the windshield.

Figure 6 represents a modification in which a cross-sectionallyrectangular strip is shown. strip is adapted to be pulled out in themanner shown in Figure 5, but the strip is M-shaped, instead ofN-shaped. To this end, the strip is slitted inwardly as at 20 from oneend, then water-proof. Whatever type of material is used,

the same is folded, as shownin the figure, to provide three (or more)portions 25, 26 and 27.

' It is,of course, understood it may be folded to provide a greater(even a lesser) number of portions. Before or after folding, there isinserted between each of two contiguous portions, for example betweenportions 25 and '26, or between portions 26 and 21, suitable plates 28.In lieu of the plates, the material can be dusted or treated, thepurpose being to prevent attachment of the material while the materialis treated at the bends to prevent unfolding. When vulcanization isnecessary to prevent unfolding, a plate can be applied and then heatapplied to vulcanize the end portions 30. The object is to produce astrip composed of portions which remain against one another until thestrip is used as an attaching means, whereafter it can yield, due to thesepaset the bends.

[There is no intention to limit the invention by In the modification ofFigure the slitsj'35 of the strip are'diagonal with respect totlie frontQ I and rear sides 36-31 whereby a relatively thin" -layer 38 ofmaterial is provided adjacent the inner j end of each slit. Thisconstruction makes forgreater flexibility; The slitting is so accomplished as not to tear through but so as to reduce to the minimum the strainexertedon the adhesive when expansion is necessary to relieve strain ortension on either shield. Oi course, the less strain exerted duringexpansion, the less likely is the adhesive to be pulled loose. In otherwords, it is best to have it thinned out at the points 38 to allow it toextend with as little strain on the adhesive .aspossible. This is avaluable feature.

In Figure 10, the numeral 40 indicates a frame of metal or othersuitable material circumscribing the frost-shield glass 4i, and thenumeral 42 indicates a piece of rubber or apiece of felt interposedbetween the frame and the glass to make an air-tight seal. The connecterstrip generally rability of the layers. Talc or other dusting pow, 1 dermay be used to condition the portions to be, pulled apart, but toprevent unfolding andlto, maintain the parallel face-to-face contact of,the elements 25, 2t and 21., vulcanization, or other suitable treatment,maybe said to act to .strip, made in accordance with the teachings ofthis invention, can be used in conjunction. with the frame, and thecombination with. the frame is a feature of the invention. The frame 40may be of rubber or other suitable material in which case no felt norrubber strip 42 need to be interposed. The windshield has not been shownin Figure 10.

InFigure 11, frame 5|] is shown which has a clip-like extension 5|clampingly or compressively engaging the inner leg 52 of the strip 44.In this form, the windshield has not been shown attached, but is isassumed that the strip has been expanded due to inequalities in one: ofthe glasses, and to relieve the strain.

Figure 12 is another modification in which a frame 55 is used, whichframe has a clip-like extension 56 which also enters the slit. In thisinstance, however the clip is formed terminally by rebending an innerportion 51 of the frame 55 as shown, and the upwardlyopening slit 5% ofthe v strip is spaced from the inner face of the shield 4|, instead oflying immediately adjacent thereto as in Figure 11.

In Figure 13, the scaling is obtained by means of a frame-like portion60 of the same material as the strip which is integral with anexpansible portion generally indicated at 6|. This expansible portion ismade expansible, in this instance, by slitting as at 6263 and this meansfor obtaining expansion generally corresponds to the means shown in theother figures of the drawings, with the exception of Figure 9. It willbe understood that there is no intention to limit the invention entirelyto the specific means for obtaining expansion, and that I broadly claimall means other than the natural quality of the material itself.

It will, of course, be understood that the principal object is torelieve any tension on either the windshield glass or the frost-shieldglass. The windshield, as well known, is generally under a certainamount of tension, and particularly is this true of shatter-proof glass.Neither of the glasses should be under tension. It is well known thatglass, even under slight tension, is much more likely to be broken by asudden blow or by jarring than when it is free of tension.

I claim as my invention:

1. A connecter strip having therein two longitudinal slits, oneextending inwardly from each of two opposite faces.

2. A connecter strip having four faces and composed of compressiblematerial and having two longitudinal slits, one extending inwardly fromeach of two opposite faces, each slit extending to a point beyond a linewhich is midway between the faces.

3. A four-sided connecter strip of sponge rubber capable of beingadhesively attached by each of two opposite faces, and having slitsextending the full length thereof, one extending inwardly from eachremaining opposite face, said slits be.- ing substantially parallel withthe last mentioned faces.

4. A connecter strip adapted for adhesive attachment, and composed ofmaterial capable of expansion when released after being compressed, andmeans other than the expansible quality of the material rendering saidstrip capable of additional expansion in the same direction whenentrainingly acted upon.

5. A strip normally having a substantially rectangular configuration,and means rendering the strip capable of expansion to have across-sectionally N-shaped configuration.

6. A. clear vision shield of the dead-air-space type having a flatsurfaced attaching and sealing strip mechanically modified to allowsubstantial movement of the attached shield in a direction away from thesurface to which it is attached, without breaking the seal, said stripsbeing marginally placed, and functionally continuous and being composedof compressible elastic material.

7. A strip adapted for connecting two bodies together, and adapted forattachment by each of two opposite sides and having means locatedintermediately of said sides permitting the strip to yield a substantialdistance in a direction away from said sides when attached thereby.

8. A strip adapted for connecting two bodies together, and adapted forattachment by each of two opposite sides and having means locatedintermediately of said sides permitting the strip to yield throughoutits length a substantial disstance in a direction away from said sideswhen attached thereby.

9. A clear vision shield of the dead-air-space type comprising, atransparent member having a strip sealingly attached by one face to oneface of the member, and adapted to be adhesively at tached by the otherface to a surface and said strip having means located intermediately ofits attaching faces permitting it to yield a substantial distance in adirection away from said faces when the device is attached.

CARL F.

